| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 1 160 002 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
12.02.2003 Bulletin 2003/07 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
05.12.2001 Bulletin 2001/49 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 16.05.2001 |
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|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR |
|
Designated Extension States: |
|
AL LT LV MK RO SI |
| (30) |
Priority: |
02.06.2000 US 586369
|
| (71) |
Applicant: Celgard, Inc. |
|
Charlotte, North Carolina 28273 (US) |
|
| (72) |
Inventor: |
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- Sengupta, Amitava
Charlotte, North Carolina 28270 (US)
|
| (74) |
Representative: von Kreisler, Alek, Dipl.-Chem. et al |
|
Patentanwälte, von Kreisler-Selting-Werner, Bahnhofsvorplatz 1 (Deichmannhaus)
50667 Köln
50667 Köln (DE) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Degassing a liquid with a membrane contactor |
(57) The present invention is directed to degassing a liquid with a membrane contactor
(12). A liquid having a dissolved gas is introduced into a contactor which is connected
to a vacuum source. The contactor has a perforated core (32), a plurality of hollow
fiber membranes (38), a tube sheet (40) affixing each end of said fibers, and a shell
(42) having a liquid egress (44). The shell (42) encloses the fibers (38), the tube
sheet (40), and the core (32). The hollow fiber lumens are in fluid communication
with the vacuum source. Liquid enters the contactor (12) via the core's open end (34)
radially exits the core, crosses over the membranes (38) within the shell (42), and
exits the contactor (12) by the liquid egress (46). The dissolved gas thereby diffuses
from the liquid across the membrane into the lumen. The liquid exiting may have a
dissolved gas content to less than 1ppb.